


Catradora ⚫ Oneshots

by ChibiEmme



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: 2019 kick-off, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Catradora Week 2018, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbians, One-Shots, Oneshot, Oneshot collection, Sad, Tears, adoraxcatra, catradora, catradora oneshots, happy new year everyone, heck, prompts, sucky romance, why did i even write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-02 00:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17253932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiEmme/pseuds/ChibiEmme
Summary: #CatradoraWeekA series of one-shots, following She-Ra Amino's first Catradora week prompts:Day 1-- Making UpDay 2-- ConfessionsDay 3-- FlashbackDay 4-- AngstDay 5-- AUDay 6-- HolidayDay 7-- FluffAlso on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/story/169288715-catradora-%E2%9A%AB-oneshots





	1. Stuck in a Cave

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Making Up
> 
> Summary: After a failed attack on Bright Moon, Catra finds herself trapped in a boulder-sealed cave with a swordless Adora, unable to transform into She-Ra. Fluff and hurt/comfort ensue!

It was with a resounding rumble that everything came tumbling down. With her nails sharp and ears twitching in panic, the cat-girl turned on her heel to a sight once unbeknownst to her. Her eyes widened in horror, and her tail stuck straight up against her hunched figure. She could run all she wanted, but there was nowhere to go. Her cat reflexes would surely fail her long before she even got a few meters from the tumbling mountain of boulders.

Letting out a high-pitched scream, she ran. Her heart twirled in its chamber, racing eminent in the shallow, frantic rise of her breast; her tail swishing back and forth like an old grandfather clock. Her own voice betrayed her as she screamed out for help. But it all would be in vain. Scorpia and the rest of her squadron were far away—probably across the battlefield by now. She was only a second-in-command; replaceable in the eyes of Lord Hordak.

She wasn't prepared, however, for that familiar, warm voice to ring in her ears as the last bit of reassurance before darkness echoed through and encompassed her.

"Catra!"

————————◾—————————

When she awoke, everything was warm. Well, except for the cold sensations rattling her scratch-ridden body. Everything was dark, or maybe her eyes were closed? She was far too tired to care. Her head just seems to hum, her world spinning in vertigo.

Catra cleared her throat in a moan, instantly coughing and feeling reflex tears form at her eyelids. Everything tasted profusely metallic in her mouth, though she wasn't too worried; a bleeding cheek was something she had to deal with far too often. Her eyes opened, instantly met with that power-infuriating darkness she had grown accustomed to. The only speck of light was from a small crack in the herd of rocks sealing the curved opening of the gray, rocky surface.

Oh, that's right!

She was on a mission—her first one assigned by Lord Hordak—when her squadmate Kyle stupidly attracted the attention of the Princesses. After an exchange of attacks, led by Princess She-Ra in all her glory, Entrapta had called for the co-leaders (Catra and Scorpia) to fall back. It just so happened that one of Adora's friends, Bow, Catra believes, wasn't done with his fun. Yes, as she remembers, he kept firing his nuisance arrows at him with artifice skill. The cat-girl had to duck in a mountainous structure not too far off from the castle, and that happened to be a dark cave she could see sharply through with her nocturnal sight. The rest was a total blur to the young girl.

Her vision was slightly adjusting to the interior—the obnoxious drip-drip-drip of water plopping into a puddle that was flooding into the dry hole-in-the-wall she was entrapped in, the musty air (and lack of it altogether), and even the cold against her bare skin. She cursed at herself for wearing ripped jeans.

A cough resounded from behind her, making Catra instantly sharpen her claws and shoot up into a sitting position, ready for any oncoming attacker. If anything, it was convenient someone would try to trap her in here; no way out, so they fight until one falls. Her heterochromatic eyes widened at the figure before her: blonde hair tied taut against her head, blue eyes dazzling without her usual shimmer, a stern expression overtaking her usually relaxed face. The girl wore a red cardigan and white jeans (no longer white due to the sticky muck covering it). The new attire was a gift from Queen Angella after she saved Princess Glimmer.

It was Adora.

Catra swallowed her guilt, quickly replacing it with pride and mock slyness. She purred lightly, "Hey, Adora."

Adora tilted her head to the side, her arms wrapped around her legs like they were its cubs. "G'morning, Sleepyhead."

Catra's ears twitched, a bright blush creeping up on her cheeks. Despite her ache-wracked body, her heart was a butterfly. For the first time in a while, she was alone with her traitorous best friend. "Adora?" she inquired. "What—"

"You were going to be crushed by that boulder. . . It was my fault. . . I'm sorry. . . ." She-Ra's alter ego turned away from her old friend, timid and obviously upset.

The other knitted her eyebrows. "I meant: 'What are you still doing here?'"

The blonde shook her head, the waves of hair lobbing to each side. "It's not like I can leave. The only way out is blocked." Her gaze landed on the floor, taking a sudden interest in it. She mumbled, "B-Besides, it's not like I would just l-leave you here a-anyway. . . ."

Catra's face was probably as red as a berry. Her heart thumped and thumped and thumped against her chest, and a fuzzy feeling encased her victim of a body. This was so not happening right now. She scratched her left ankle, feeling a pang of pain and almost yelping out in weakness. Something was wrong with it, and they would be getting nowhere unless it healed that second.

Yet, there was still a glimmer of hope for a treacherous escape: She-Ra.

"Don't even ask, Catra," Adora said, seemingly reading the other's mind. "My sword is probably on the other side of the cave—fell from my hand when I tried to shield you from the rubble. I'm not strong enough to move those rocks. Much less, you can't even stand on that ankle; it twisted when you tripped on your tail."

"Try me," Catra spat. She pulled herself off the group, only to instantly cry out and topple over. She was lucky enough that Adora was there to catch her and lay her head on her thighs, always a swift cadet

"Stop hurting yourself, Dumbo!" the blonde exclaimed.

Catra's breath met the warmth of Adora's. Said girl seemed oblivious to how awkward the contact was. Yet, Catra loved it. She loved how warm the girl felt against her tired face, and how the pale-skinned female stroked her mane of dark hair like she was a real cat pleading for pets. A low rumbling sound came from her vocal chamber, startling both of the ex-friends.

Adora's cheeks flushed red, and she pulled her hand away. Of course, she was stopped by the same cat-girl purring in her lap. "Don't stop," she demanded, though that just made her flabbergasted at none other than herself. Her attempt to explain herself was in vain; "B-Besides, my squadron will be back for me in no time." Doubt she couldn't shroud a sheath overflew out of her tone, and she tried to cover it with a low-grade pout. There was no way even such a friend as Scorpia would come back for her; that just wasn't the Horde's way.

Adora hummed in disbelief, resuming the circular motion of entangling her fingers in the shorter's tuff of hair.

————————◾—————————

Adora loved sleepy Catra. The taller was encompassed in the tranquility of silence without the catgirl's pesky tricks or smart remarks. It was just her and the darkness as her friend. She hated the dark, but her old friend was there to chase away all the demons with their temporary truce. It gave time for her mind to truly wander without Bow and Glimmer binding her to the present.

A sleep-filled, hoarse voice broke her train of thought. "Why did you leave, Adora?" Catra asked uneasily.

"I already told you. After I saw what the Horde was really doing, I just couldn't go back."

Catra hummed to fill the stale air, replying, "D-Did you ever miss us—our squadron, I mean?"

Adora smiled, her pearly whites seemingly shining down on Catra like an array of shooting stars across the night sky. "Every day." There was a pause. "I'm sorry for leaving," she continued. "But I hope you understand that it wasn't because of you that I left."

Catra hummed, seemingly only half-listening.

"I'm serious, Cat—"

"Just stop apologizing!" the cat-girl exclaimed, her eyes fully open and her arm raised to graze over Adora's soft, sweaty cheek. She took a breath to recollect herself. "Look, you made this too hard already. I get you had to leave. Still, it hurt here." She pointed toward her upper chest; her heart.

After another exchange of apologies, the pair gazed into each other's eyes, each seeing a different galaxy in every hue and highlight. They were a plethora of lives caged in one crazy-filled adventure.

"I'll forgive you this time, you dumbass," the hazel-eyed girl mumbled with a groan.

It was in that moment that the cave seemed to grow brighter; a piece of the hole's veil was being moved by something, no, someone. Someone was there to save them.


	2. Chocolate Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Confessions
> 
> Pre-show AU
> 
> It is Valentine's Day, Adora heard from gossipers, and on that day you give the person you love most homemade chocolate. What she didn't expect, however, was her best friend's proposal.

Adora let out a sigh, sweat trickling down her brow as she spread her aching body across the cold, metal bench in the rather green-hued locker room. Her squadron eyed her and her panting, though, they weren't inclined to say anything to the soon-to-be force captain. Frankly, they had heard enough of the frequent scolding of Catra on the training field; that was enough to speak for Adora herself.

The blonde let out a sigh, draping her reddened arm over her eyelids in hopes to get a few moments rest before Shadow Weaver called for more laborious activity. Thinking she was asleep, the squad (minus Catra, who was nowhere to be seen) resumed their peculiar, secret conversation.

"Valentine's Day is tomorrow, right?" Kyle asked.

"Why are you asking? What even is Valentine's Day?" a dark-skinned woman—Lonnie—demanded forcefully.

The smaller shrugged. "It's supposed to be a day where you give homemade chocolate to someone you love—I dunno; I just heard some fore captains talking about it."

The tall, alligator-like male, a man who was currently leaning against the wall with crossed arms, scoffed. "So," he started, "you just snuck in another bunker and eavesdropped? That doesn't sound like you."

A smirk furrowed on Lonnie's face, her hair tied in a bun behind her head. "What? Are you telling me that you have a crush, Kyle?"

Kyle's face grew flustered, and he jumped up to flail his arms about. "No! N-Not at all! Uh-uh, not one bit."

A petite girl, who looked like a vanilla sundae with a flood of chocolate walked by in her training uniform, her hair flowing like a muddy stream down a waterfall. She waved at Kyle, greeting him quickly before ushering her squadron behind her to follow her out. The blonde boy instantly strained his posture, straightening his back and his face looking like the inside of a watermelon. "H-Hi Clarissa!"

After she passed and Kyle let out his breath, the plumpest man of the squad hit Kyle across the back. "Right. You were saying?" he taunted.

"Shut up, guys!"

The room erupted in laughter. Adora, her headache making it unable for her to eliminate her wakefulness, sat up with a low groan. She rubbed her temples and rearranged her ponytail to straighten it. She knew her friends were looking at her, but she could hardly care. Growing up with the Horde meant the virtue of privacy was seldom.

"What's all this about this 'Valentine's Day'?" she asked, her voice cracking from exhaustion just as her barrier from a migraine was. She had never heard of such a day, and she had heard of a lot of days from the curses Shadow Weaver spouted. A day of love? Never heard of.

The fellowship looked in disbelief at her. It was as if she an otherworldly being sent to save them all from their untimely demise or something.

"And what in the world is chocolate?"

Kyle laughed. "Adora," he said in a sing-song manner, "are you in love too?" The rest of the squad rolled their eyes, turning to place their belongings in a locker and turned their tails elsewhere.

Love was never an often occurrence among the cadets. Sure, there were the usual crushes—Adora had too many to count—but nothing such sublime as a true romance. She could say she liked someone. But loved? That was just out of the question.

"Pfft. No!"

"Hey, Adora," someone purred from behind. Of course, of all the times in the world, Catra just had to show up in that very moment.

Okay, maybe there was one person she could say she loved.

Kyle held an inquisitive face. "Catra!" he called suddenly, pointing towards her locker. Her ears shot up, twitching. Kyle gulped. He usually stayed as far away from the catgirl as possible, but he needed to get her away from the flustered, blushing blonde. "Shadow Weaver wanted you to do some laps with the other squadron since you skipped out on ours."

Catra looked skeptical, an eyebrow raised. She saw Adora nod her away, and she left with an indifferent shrug. It was in that moment that Kyle draped a hand over Adora's exposed neck to pull her into a huddle.

"You want to make chocolate for Catra?" he whispered.

"What?" the blonde whisper-yelled back. "I don't l-like her! Besides, we don't even have a recipe for chocolate!"

As if on cue, with a smirk, he pulled out a long piece of parchment paper from his pocket. "I have it here. My friend Plot Convenience gave it to me."

Adora hesitantly took it from him, wincing at the roughness. It was almost like cardboard, in the way. ". . . Okay. . . but how will we get into the kitchen? It isn't like we have all-star access."

"It just so happens that I have kitchen duty today! Plot Convenience can help you get in there as well."

And that was how the pair spent their night: baking all kinds of chocolates with their love for fuel.

————————◾—————————

It was time.

Adora stood on the balcony, an often meeting place for the best friends. The sky was painted in a myriad of colors from orange and pink, to blue and even purple. Stars peeked out of day's curtain, shining and shimmering down on the young teen. In her favorite red leather jacket, she looked upon the pipes littering the Horde's vicinity. Beyond the shackles binding her, what was there? Sure, Shadow Weaver and the trainers won't shut up about the dangerous Princesses, but what else is out there? Maybe water that outstretched past the visible eye, or even a land full of ice and snow.

No, that was only her mindless wishful thinking. And right then, that mindless mind turned mindfully malicious at the feeling of someone staring into the back of her head.

Adora took a breath to steady herself, the chocolates wrapped around her fingers and enlaced in a plastic bag, sealed with the reddest ribbon Kyle could find—he argued it was necessary because red was the "color of love."

"Catra, I know you're there," Adora said.

She turned around, meeting Catra's smirk halfway. "You are getting good at this, Adora."

Said girl laughed awkwardly, "I learn from the best."

Catra giggled, ringing through Adora's ears like caroling bells and make her heart thump evermore faster. "So, what did you need?"

Adora grew jittery as she nervously bowed her back and held out the package to Catra, who looked at it with curiosity. Her nose upturned as she sniffed the bag, her mouth opening agape.

"What's that for?"

"C-Catra, I-I want you to h-have it. . ." the blonde trailed.

Catra's ears shot up, her heart pounding as well.

Adora continued: "Kyle said today is Valentine's Day, a-and we give c-chocolate to those we l-l-love on that day. . . ."

Catra couldn't hold it in anymore; the excitement was too unbearable. She snatched the bag from her friend, tearing through the plastic with her sharpened claws. She grabbed at the misshapen chocolates, plunging an entire handful of them into her watering mouth. Adora pulled at her fingers, internally rejoicing at the cracking sound the action made.

"So good!" Catra exclaimed, stuffing another handful in.

"Come on, save more for later?" Adora whined.

"Alright," Catra huffed. The brunette had a small pocket hidden in her ripped jeans, so she tried to stuff the remainder of the bag in there. It took a lot in Adora to keep from laughing; the lump looked like a rocky mountain to the blonde.

Adora took a deep breath. Right, Catra is smart, but also naive. She probably wouldn't question why Adora decided to give her chocolate—

"Adora? Why did you give me candy, anyway?"

Of course not.

"I-I—"

"Love?"

The taller looked away, nodding to the side like she was embarrassed. ". . . Perhaps."

Catra, Adora noticed then, was blushing profusely. "I-I l-love you t-too."

Adora was rather surprised by the outcome of that instance, but she didn't mind. She got her first kiss out of it. The pair even learned that Catra was lactose intolerant!

What an amazing day it was for these two lovebirds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole Plot Convenience thing was a joke (obviously). I was pretty behind and unmotivated for this one so I had a bit of fun with it. XD


	3. Bi Bi Bi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Flashback
> 
> Takes place after Catra comes back from the temple in season 1, episode 11. She dreams of an old memory that brings tears to her eyes, both of jealousy and betrayal. Scorpia takes notice and helps her friend accept her bisexuality.

"I'm going to bed," she proclaimed, her back turned on Entrapta and Scorpia dancing and cheering behind her. They were different; they didn't and never would understand how much it hurt to be called a best friend.

That was what Adora always called her.

She had put on a hard façade in the temple, acting that the blonde had no effect on her. She was no longer scared of Shadow Weaver, sure, but it took more will than she could truly give to keep that smug, unaffected expression. Her hands were clenched, shaking, but she couldn't let the veiled tears and screams shine through.

So, she let the door shut on her bunker room. Since getting promoted to a force captain, she got to share a room with fellow captains. As a delight to her, the captains were always far too busy with their endeavors to even spend any downtime in their bunkers.

She was finally alone, and she wished she didn't care. She prayed to whatever deity out there that she couldn't care; that she could be numb and, above all, innocent. It wasn't her fault Adora left, right? Wrong. She knew by those thoughts darker than the queen herself that everything was always her fault; she was always the one to mess up.

And so, she let go.

She stumbled on uneasy feet, swaying back and forth dreadfully until her muscles just gave out. Her body fell to the floor, her ears twitching at the loud thump, only a few feet away from her bed. From her eyes, or looker far too far for her arms to pull her forward. She would just lie there instead; it was colder and more fit for the young captain. Perhaps she hit or head too hard, or maybe her mind was a spiral of hurt, because, in the next moment, she broke.

The catgirl curled in on herself, her reddish claws reaching for the closest thing to scratch (which happened to be her shirt). Knots did pirouettes in her throat, their dangling ballet shoes making her want to scream louder and louder. Her eyes were a waterfall, once gallant but now eroding her tan skin.

Catra let out a painful scream, crying out for both her frustration and unrequited love. Adora was a goddamn liar, too good for even the sly catgirl to compete with. The blonde had just left without a word, chasing after a sword with power beyond herself. Her beauty was sickeningly sweet in the nooks and crannies of Catra's mind.

She wasn't sure when she subconsciously succumbed to sleep. It just came on at a lightning strike speed, dulling her sensed and reminding her of how hopelessly in love she was with a Romeo she couldn't have.

————————◾—————————

_"Catra! Follow me!" Adora called, her high-pitched voice ringing throughout the halls of the Fright Zone._

_Catra lowered her head, thinking to lick the palm of her hand to tame her puffy "mane," and following her friend through the vents. She wasn't sure exactly how Adora had gotten up there in the first place, but it was no trouble for Catra; her feline instincts would always come in handy when it came to climbing up into small spaces. Now, Adora was leading her down through the crevices of metal, every now and then prompting the other to stay quiet. If Shadow Weaver caught them, it would not end to be a pretty situation._

_"Where are we going?" Catra asked._

_"You'll see."_

_Adora smiled, her eyes lighting up as she pointed for an annoyed Catra to look down. She was motioning at an opening trapdoor, or, what was a trapdoor to them. It was more of a vent opening, finished with a very loose screw._

_"You have long claws," Adora provided. "Can you unscrew the bolts?"_

_Catra nodded sheepishly, reaching past the blonde's lap and grabbing at the nut and twisting. Much to her own pleasure, it came off with a reassuring_ thwip  _and she was able to pull the cover off. Adora sniffed the cold air that flooded in, something the two best friends never really got to experience; Shadow Weaver always preferred her domain to be warmer._

_"What are you waiting for, slow-poke?" Adora taunted. "You are going down first, Catra."_

_"Why me?"_

_"_ Because _you are the one who always lands on your feet. You can catch me."_

_Catra smirked. "Am I really that expendable to you?"_

_Adora was unamused. "Just get your ass down that hole."_

_Catra sighed, huffing, and awkwardly maneuvered herself to fall down the agape, rectangular opening._   _She slid her legs down first, followed by her torso and, later, her arms. She had landed gracefully on the cold ground. She didn't own any shoes (Shadow Weaver never really cared to get her such things, so she found an early taste to dislike them). Usually, this didn't bother her. Still, the ground was colder than anything she had ever felt before. She couldn't help but shudder at the goosebumps forming along her limbs._

_"I'm coming down, Catra!" Adora yelled. It was in that moment that Catra felt unprepared. She fled about, looking for the right posture to catch the slim girl, but it was still in vain. The blonde plowed into her back, sitting on top of the groaning catgirl._

_Adora poked the back of Catra's neck. "I thought you were going to catch me?"_

_Catra, voice muffled and body ebbed numb from pain, replied with a curse._

_Adora huffed, standing on her feet and wincing at the freezing cold. The floor would have been ice if it were slippery, wet, and not stone. Brushing off her shorts, she twirled around, her neck craning upward._

_Catra was somehow able to sit up despite her aching arms. Her tail swished about to and fro, her eyes wandering. Even though she had nocturnal vision and instinct, the room was still too vast and dark for her to make out._

_Adora clapped her hands above her head and, instantly, light flooded through the room. Catra blinked frantically, rubbing her heterochromia-colored eyes. The room wasn't as large as she had originally thought, yet it was still rather big for her liking. The floor was shiny like a mop had just finished cleaning it. The walls were unlike any others in the Fright Zone: painted in a theme of red roses, bordered with a brown divider. It was almost magical. The room was almost like a dance floor from a movie Kyle had shown her._

_"Play 'Despacito'!" Adora called, addressing the speaker in the corner of the divine ceiling. "Softly, please."_

_As if it were magic, Catra could suddenly hear an instrument she couldn't name playing one fermata after another. The music was soon added to a symphony of other instruments, tolling in Catra's sensitive ears. She had heard music before, but nothing such as this. This music was beyond pretty—it was fantastic._

_Adora turned to the brunette. "Pretty nice, right?" she asked_

_Catra meekly nodded, too entrapped in the music to pay full attention. It was because of this hypnotization that the blonde was able to wrap her arms around the other's slim waist, hands intertwining. She guided the entranced catgirl across the floor, following the beat by the measure. Their hands rose upwards, allowing Adora to twirl Catra around and hold her body's weight from hitting the ground. Both girls' faces filled with red pigment, tinting their already rosy cheeks._

_Catra snapped her attention to her friend, examining those features she so adored; those blue eyes filled with the sky's endearment, that pale, soft skin, and even her luscious goldish locks. Everything about the girl just seemed to scream in Catra's face as love. But, was this how love is supposed to be? She was always told it was wrong to love another of the same sex in this way by her fellow Horde members. The catgirl was conflicted; love men or love women?_

_Screw it. Catra was never a follower of rules, so why should her heart's love follow the norm? She could love not just males, but females as well. No one had the right to tell her otherwise. More importantly: she could love Adora._

_"Adora," she purred, her warm breath colliding together with Adora's, "I love you."_

_Adora just smiled. "I know, Catra. We'll always be together. Besides, you're my best friend!"_

_Catra never knew how much those words she once loved to hear could hurt so much._

————————◾—————————

Catra stirred when she felt someone shaking her—no, rattling her—awake. She groaned, turning over on her side and faceplanting into the floor. She must have smacked her nose, as a throbbing pain had overcome it thereafter.

"Oww," she whined, though, she made no attempt to move. There wasn't any point in getting up if it meant more princess-hunting. She was in no mood for anything like that.

"Catra," Scorpia's voice hissed from above the half-asleep figure, "wake up! If you want to sleep, sleep in a bed!"

Catra coughed, closing her eyes and hoping the annoyance would leave. However, the taller, stronger captain instead used her large claws to force her to sit up. She felt weightless, and she was more than certain that Scorpia had noticed how off she was acting. Groggily, she rubbed her eyes and met the older's gave. From a quick scan of the room, she assessed, thankfully, that there were no others in the room.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Scorpia asked, her tone softer than before. Catra noticed how she looked at her like she was some fragile piece of glass, ready to fall and shatter any minute. She hated it far more than she thought she should have.

Catra sniffled. "Leave me alone. Go do some gizmo thing or whatever with Entrapta."

Scorpia's eyes narrowed, her expression appearing rather tender and motherly. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong—"

"Normal Catra would never sleep on the floor and sob. Besides, your eyes are bloodshot."

Catra blushed. "I-I was crying?" Scorpia nodded, probably now aware she brought something she shouldn't have. "Damn."

The motherly figure of the Horde sighed. "Look, I know we aren't always on the best of terms, but I want you to know that you can trust me. We've done so many missions together, and I don't want you to leave just because Entrapta is here now. So, spill."

Catra swallowed, all of her pride fed to the knot twisting her stomach. This was her end; the final day of strong Catra. All that was left now was her stubbornness, and, luckily for her, she still had that going.

Scorpia huffed. "Fine," she said. "We'll make this a game: I tell you a secret of mine and you spill the beans. Deal?"

Catra just blinked.

Scorpia took that as a yes in cat language and continued: "I am what most people refer to as trans."

Catra cocked her head intently. It was a term she had not heard of before, and she had heard a lot of things from the gossip about the Fright Zone.

"I was born as a boy, but I was able to become a girl like I've always wanted to."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just felt. . . uncomfortable as a boy. . . it's hard to explain."

Catra, while she wanted to stop talking and be left alone, also wanted to evade her doom. She acted intrigued. "Was it hard to change?"

Scorpia shrugged. "I guess? My parents were very supportive of me, but not a lot of people actually agreed with it. I haven't become a full girl yet, but I was a good enough princess to get on Frosta's ball list as a female.

"Now," she continued, stoping Catra in her tracks. "I think it's time you told me your little secret. That was the deal, right?"

"But I never agreed to the deal! You just told me your secret anyway!" Catra argued.

Scorpia shrugged once more. "A blink from a cat hybrid is a good enough 'Yes' for me, so get to it."

"Alright," Catra huffed. "I saw someone I once thought of as a best friend, but I made a mistake."

"What kind of mistake? Are you talking about that one girl Shadow Weaver keeps having us chase?"

Catra nodded solemnly. "I gave her a dose of her own medicine—I abandoned her. And now I regret it so deeply, because. . . ."

"Because of what?" the other prompted.

". . . because I love her. I think? It's complicated. I want her to stay, but I also want her to leave. Plus, she is probably with the other Horde members in saying that being bisexual is wrong—"

Scorpia sighed yet again. "Catra, being bisexual isn't wrong; not in the slightest. Really, all it means is that your heart has the capacity to love more people than others can. If she is someone who loves you the same, in any way, she isn't going to hate you for being you."

Catra sniffled, her headache finally cleared and a smile crept on her face. "Thank you, Scorpia."

In a rare moment, the catgirl allowed Scorpia to wrap her arms around her. She squeezed her new friend to her side, saying, "No problem, Catra."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scorpia being trans and Catra's bisexuality are personal headcanons of mine and may or may not be canon in future. I don't think I'm a fortune teller quite yet. XD


	4. Deep Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Angst
> 
> Pre-show AU
> 
> Adora and her squadron are scouting the area near Princess Frosta's domain. It is in a sheer moment of chaos that ice cracks over her, and Catra, for the first time, has to be the one to save Adora.

The mission was easy: scout the nearby icy realm of the Kingdom of Snows for signs of rebel forces. It was something Adora had been ecstatic forever since Shadow Weaver told her she would be head of the team. Not quite Force Captain, but close enough for the blonde to count as a win.

Catra, as usual, wasn't so fortunate. Adora was given a stern talking-to by the mysterious magic woman. She tried to make her point across about how Catra should stay with the rest of the Horde and her squadron. Adora had learned a few things from Shadow Weaver over the years, and one of the more prominent and helpful things she learned was sly persuasion.

That was how a certain catgirl with sun-kissed skin was allowed to go on a treacherous mission.

Catra sneezed. The air was frigid and subzero, making her quake in her boots (she didn't want to wear any shoes at all, but she was now glad Adora forced her to). Despite the oversized, worn coat wrapped around her like a blanket, she was freezing. The sun was setting upon the day. Catra had to squint to look past the sparkly snow that was hurting her eyes to no ends.

She sneezed again, her nose numb and tinted a pinkish color, as another roll of wind passed by. She was following closely behind Adora throughout the mission-these strangers outranked her and made her nervous-but it seemed as if she had fallen behind. She rushed towards her, only to feel her feet slip under her.

Catra yelped as the sky above her took her vision. The only thing grounding her was a strong hand tugging at her wrist. Looking down, she could see it was none other than Adora who had kept her on her feet. The ground had changed; it was now blue and flat, yet wet and slippery. It was something fragile that she couldn't name.

Regaining her balance, Catra swatted her friend away. Adora repositioned the special earmuffs she was given, then rubbing her nose and sniffling. "It's ice," she provided. "Remember what Shadow Weaver said? 'Ice is slippery.'"

Catra nodded, a smirk plastered on her face. Of course, she had tuned the old hag out. Adora, knowing fully well, rolled her eyes and moved to address the rest of the group, which was far ahead of the pair by now. They were trained to keep trekking forward, even if they had to leave their teammates behind; that is not to say it didn't pop Catra's under-the-surface bubbles.

"Alright, team!" Adora yelled, cupping her mouth with her hands and then using said hands to clap. The team turned to face her, falling closer in line like the undead. "We have almost made it to the mountains, so, I propose we start heading back."

After many affirmative nods and grumbles of the agreement, Adora twirled her hand in the air and started her trek downward. She was treading down thin ice-literally. If she had known better she would have noticed the signs before it was too late. As it seemed, fate's red thread had other plans. It wrapped around but her pinkie, pulling her ever so slyly over the edge. Adora gasped as she heard the crack, her breath visible and swarming around her like a swarm of flies.

Catra was the first to notice. Her ears twitched frantically, her eyes darting to and fro for any sort of explanation for the resounding scream Adora let out, followed by an abrupt splash. But the blonde was nonexistent. All that remained was a gaping hole in the ice, and no one would bat an eye at the sight.

Her heart pounded in her chest like a hammer driving a nail into a slab of wood; she saw nothing in their eyes. Everyone just walked on like their commander hadn't just fallen into below freezing water. No emotions. Catra bit her lip. She was not having this.

She dove to her knees, suddenly grateful she was wearing sweatpants instead of her usual ripped jeans. Her black, sharp nails dipped into the water for only a second before she had to retract. Tears formed in her eyes. If her head wasn't spinning with as much heat as it was, she was sure those watering eyes would gloss over in ice.

Water was never something Catra adored. Sure, it kept her alive for the most part, but the feline in her always made her a bit skittish. It took a little while for her to even approach a shower, and even then she had to slowly wean off Adora's care to go in on her own. She truly never got over her aquaphobia, and it had only gotten worse once Shadow Weaver had learned of this little weakness of hers. She shuddered at the thought of those "punishments," slapping her cheek to snap herself out of it.

Adora was her best friend. She had been there for Catra through thick and thin, even when one had made a rather idiotic decision. Adora was always the one to save her, and it was rarely the other way around. Besides, they had so many new adventures to go on.

That was the reason Catra took the fall.

Her breath hitched, and she wasn't sure why she did it. Still, there was no going back. She couldn't see anything. It was cold. The water had wrapped its tendrils around her. It was strangling her. All the air was gone. She was done for. But, just as she felt herself leaving, something brushed against her falling frame. Adora's hand.

Because Adora was with her, empowering her weak soul, she could do anything. That was how she grabbed her senses in midst of a panic attack underwater and swam up to the break of air, Adora in tow.

————————◾—————————

Everything afterward was a hazy mess. Catra was far too out of it to listen to her fellow Horde members as they crowded the pair of survivors, conversing over what had happened and trying to explain to a taller figure why they would leave their commander to perish.

It all faded to black before she could mumble or groan.

The next thing she knew, she was warm. From the spiking pain and numbing feeling the water had given her earlier, it gave her this feeling-she was happy that she was alive. She groaned, her headache buzzing, as she opened her weary eyes to meet the familiar, yet dark, ceiling of the Fright Zone's corridors. She was in the med bay, snuggled in a few blankets and an IV stuck in her arm, filling her with euphoria and warmth.

Looking around the room, she could tell that she was alone. Well, except for the blonde huddled in way more blankets next to her. It made sense-Adora was under far longer than Catra was-but it felt like a hug given to one child but not the other. Envy pulled at the strings of her emotions.

But, Adora was alive. She had succeeded in saving the girl's life, even braving her fear in doing so.

The door across the gloomy medical room opened, and it came to no surprise that Shadow Weaver was the one to approach the catgirl. Her hands wrapped around one of Catra's comforters and tore it from the girl's grasp. Her eyes grew furious from behind her red-and-white mask, her dark locks expanding and flowing above her.

"Insolent, wretched child!" she cried. Her claw-like fingers dangled over Catra's throat like she was going to strangle her but decided not to. "I let you go on one mission with Adora, and even then, you go and try to get her killed! If this happens again, you know I will not hesitate to dispose of you. Is that understood?"

The woman spat venom, but Catra was far too feverish to comprehend. Her eyes half-lidded, she nodded her head and let the elder creature leave the room. That woman was spiking with cold, and Catra wanted to go where true warmth could be found.

So, with what little strength she could muster, the brunette snatched the IV and did whatever she could to remove it, no matter how much it burned on her skin. Her feet hit the floor as goosebumps filed up her legs. They were pins and needles, and, when she stood, her legs were worse at walking than jelly was at flopping. She was lucky, she thought, when she happened to fall into Adora's bed.

Adora was a beauty, even while sweating a bit. Her features were peaceful, her mouth opened slightly to hear her soft snores and inward breaths. Catra could somehow maneuver herself before her body gave out. She flopped adjacent to Adora, their noses very much touching. She was flustered, but there wasn't anyone but her to bear witness.

True warmth flowed through her body when her lips met Adora's, the blonde's cherry chapstick tasting sweet on the catgirl's tongue.

Catra broke away only when she needed a breath, gasping for air and using said air to say, "I'm glad you're okay. . . ."

Then, a short reply from the semi-conscious girl, ". . . Me t-too. . . ."


	5. Venom AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: AU
> 
> Venom [2018] (Marvel) AU—starring Adora as Eddie Brock and Catra as Venom! Also starring: Glimmer as Anne—Eddie's ex. (Bow as Dr. Dan, Hordak as Riot, and Shadow Weaver as Carlton Drake, if they were in this one-shot).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!Mild gore, adult language, and violence warning (e.g. undescriptive decapitation)!!
> 
>  
> 
> This is kind of a Catra x Adora x Glimmer shot, but it is mostly Catradora. Past Glimmadora is implied (I promise this is the only one-shot in this collection thus far with Glimmadora)
> 
> This is basically a retelling of a scene from the movie with different characters.
> 
> *Contains Symbrock/Veddie Implementations*
> 
> "We are Catradora"

Adora was witty, even while about three guns were pointed at her head. Her arms were practically glued to her head by how long she had to hold them up. She was unarmed, but the men didn't really care. They were working under Shadow Weaver's orders, as usual, and didn't give a second thought as to the blonde's innocence.

She was backed into the depths of the Whispering Woods. Legends said those who trespassed such a place would never come back. That was most likely what the pawns were hoping for. Still, Adora had one thing left in her attempt to conceal her fear of death coming alive. Taking a shaky inhale for breath, Adora spat in disbelief, "So, you're gonna walk me to death?"

One of the rookies nearest to her, a man who's skin nearly resembled that of a gator's, was unamused. "Shut up," he grumbled.

There came a point in which the men behind her halted. If she were to spend her last moments in any way she wanted, there was only one thing she wanted to do: mess with these bastards' heads. She scoffed. "So, did your momma not love you or something—"

Her head darted to the side, nearly missing a hard punch to the face. The wind was rushed into her ear as a silent voice telling her that her actions are going to get her killed. To be frank, she could care less about her life at that moment. She had seen too much shit in the past few days, much more than any normal human could begin to comprehend. Not to mention her reckless urge to fill the void of her mind with alcohol drowned all her reason—if she had any left in the first place.

Now was as good of a time as any to turn this to a suicide mission.

Adora grabbed for the man's gun, instead pushing him in the gut and making him fall backward. Of course, a stronger woman had to step in and elbow Adora in the spine before she could even catch a breath.

It was stupid. It was all stupid. Her head was buzzing with thoughts as her ears rang with the pain of falling straight into the forest's ground. Her hair was surely entangled in leaves and knots, but nothing really mattered anymore. She really was nothing without Catra, as both Shadow Weaver and her new symbiote Hordak had made clear.

Still, she had to try.

With a grumble, she pulled herself to a crouch, panting and sweating profusely as she looked at the jerks behind her. They weren't those typical peons Shadow Weaver kept around her circle, however, that made them way more susceptible to persuasion.

"Look," she started, "I don't really care if you kill me. There is something way bigger afoot in this world—bigger than me and most certainly bigger than you. Much bigger than—"

In a moment, she heard a rather unpleasant noise, kind of like a splat, that broke her train of thought. She noticed something strange. A tan-ish tendril wrapped around a skinny blonde, yanking him past the trees. Adora internally rejoiced at the sight of such a divine color. It was Catra, no doubt, and she was probably here to save her. Still, the one thing the symbiote needed was time—thankfully, Adora was a natural at stealing time.

"—us, " she continued, not as smoothly as she had planned. She noticed another tendril and quickly averted her gaze to the oblivious woman in front of her. "Much, much. . . bigger. . . than you."

The tendrils were outstretched again, and now that two of the three cadets were missing, all that stood in her way was the woman and her shiny handgun.

Adora gave a cocky smile. "Do you believe in Karma?" Her eyes narrowed.

The next thing she knew, she was in the grasp of someone much taller and much, much hungrier. The figure was feminine, with a buff, tan and slimy outer shell (which would have been called skin, Adora guessed), and the prettiest pair of oblong eyes. Without even a moment to think for herself, the cadet's head was torn off by the creature's maw.

Adora yelped in disgust (even though she had done it once herself, it was still unnerving to watch) and had to close her eyes. She felt the blood residue fall onto her body, and it  
itched to no ends on her irritated skin.

She reopened her blue wonders only when she heard the body being cast across the forest grounds. Bile burned through her mouth, and everything seemed to become a blur as the creature stalked towards her.

"Hi, Adora," the creature taunted. From the ring in their voice, there was no doubt in her mind that it truly was Catra.

Adora gave a puzzled look, only to abruptly be pulled from any sort of thought pondering in her mind. Instead, her cherry-flavored lips were squished against the creature's in a tongue-locking kiss.

She moaned in delight as she felt the symbiote disassemble from its host and squirm over towards her own, more suitable body. What surprised her even more than Catra's untimely comeback was the fact that she was kissing her ex.

Glimmer was the first to pull back, groaning and panting for air to circulate like a convection current through her lungs. Adora did the same, now empowered by Catra's inner willpower, and was able to look her straight in the eye.

Glimmer turned unearthly pale as she assessed the mess she made. The headless body made her gag. "A-Adora?" she asked, shuddering. "I-I just b-bit that girl's h-head off. . . ."

"I-I know, I-I've been there too; it's not f-fun."

_Adora,_ Catra hissed in the blonde's head.  _Shadow Weaver has a symbiote of her own now—Hordak._

Adora cursed, repeating what he said to Glimmer, who just cursed as well.

_He is unstoppable. We have to go!_

Adora looked Glimmer in the eye, seeing the fear growing by the second in her teary pupils. "W-Where are we going?"

Glimmer piped up, "I'm going with you."

_No! It's gonna get ugly!_

"She can fight ugly, trust me!" Adora argued.

Glimmer nodded, going to reiterate her ex's statement when Catra masked Adora in a form similar to Catra and Glimmer's mask.

" _Not today_ ," Catra hissed.

With that, the symbiote and its host were dashing through the nefarious woods. "Bullshit!" Glimmer cried from afar, but her words were lost on the pair. They were too far down their path to hear.

Once Catra thought they were far enough from the girl, they allowed Adora to reclaim her human form. Adora kept storming along. Sure, she wanted Glimmer to help kick Shadow Weaver's ass once and for all, but, if Catra thought Glimmer was too weak, then she was probably right. Then again, Catra was wrong about a lot of things when it came to the strength of humankind.

Catra explained how Hordak was going to bring a ship with thousands of alien life forms to Earth and take over. It was obvious they were done arguing over Glimmer.

_On my planet, I am kind of a loser, like you. But here, we could be more. Plus, I am beginning to like it here on Earth._

Adora almost scoffed at how unpredictable the symbiote was. She swore she could never understand the complexity that was the minds of aliens.

"So," Adora started, dragging out the word, "what gave you a change of heart?"

Her heart seemed to pound at Catra's reply: "You did, Adora."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was very tired when I wrote this, so sorry if it is a little bland.


	6. Holiday Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Holiday
> 
> Adora learns about the celebration of the Winter Solstice at Bright Moon from her friends, and she realizes how much she is yearning to see Catra. Thankfully, said feline comes strolling in the ballroom's balcony.

"Come on, Adora!" Glimmer called. Adora turned her head to see her best friends Bow and Glimmer waving for her to follow down the halls of the castle. As usual, she obliged.

"Can you believe tomorrow is the Winter Solstice?" Glimmer marveled.

"I know! It's so exciting!" Bow exclaimed.

Adora, confused, knitted her eyebrows. "What's the 'Winter Solstice'?"

Glimmer gasped loudly, pulling at Adora's wrist. "What? You've never heard of it? It's the biggest celebration of the year!" she cried

Bow pushed his friend aside. "Yeah," he added. "It's the day when our winter season starts-hopefully you know what winter is." After receiving a nod from Adora, he continued, "People from all over Etheria gather at Bright Moon Castle to exchange presents, dance eat, exchange presents-"

Glimmer narrowed her eyes. "You said 'exchange presents' twice."

Bow raised his arms in defense. "Sorry! I'm just excited!"

"You're forgetting something important," Glimmer alluded with a smirk.

"What?"

"The mistletoe. Duh!"

"Why would we tell her about that?"

"Just tell her, Bow!" Glimmer cried.

"Alright," Bow huffed. He turned his attention towards the quiet blonde. "Queen Angella has this tradition to place these plants called mistletoes about the castle. If—"

"—If you stand under one, you have to kiss the person next to you!" Glimmer piped.

Adora was flustered. "K-Kiss? O-On the cheek?"

"Depends," Bow provided. "My personal rule is to kiss any of my family members on the cheek. Anyone else gets a peck on the lips."

"So, I'm guessing neither of your lips are virgins?" Adora asked. She giggled at Bow and Glimmer's reply.

"D-Don't go spreading that around!" Glimmer said, blushing. "I don't want my mom hearing!"

Adora giggled again, before another thought: is this going to be a neutral grounded party?

Bow seemed to have read her mind. "The party used to be open to everyone, but now it's only open to Princesses and their kingdom. Though, I don't doubt there will be some trouble to sniff out; there are bound to be a few Horde members to slip by the guards. But they won't get past the Best Friend Squad!"

Adora hummed. Perhaps this party would be a good thing; maybe it would get her mind off a few things.

————————◾—————————

Adora tugged at her red dress, lined with a cloud-like material that she loved to rub her fingers against. It gave her comfort as the castle's ballroom filled to the brim with many different types of people. It made her uneasy; all these people were counting on her to do her part as She-Ra. She wasn't quite sure if she could live up to the expectation.

She wasn't sure what she was doing. Bow had gone off somewhere with Princess Perfuma, and no doubt Glimmer was chasing after them, as usual. That left the blonde by herself, cramped between conversing bodies and the snack bar. Her stomach grumbled when she could smell the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, cake, and many other desserts she had yet to learn the names of (Glimmer was trying to teach her the more genuine names, but even she would forget a few every now and then).

Taking a plastic red cup from a stack of unused cups, she dipped it into the nearby punch and chugged it down. Her lips were sure to be tainted red by now, but, in all honesty, doing something was more likely to quell her anxiety than doing nothing.

She went on like that, taking drink after drink in between the songs. Her stomach would eventually take no more, and when it refused another drink, she just started swaying to the music. The speakers were something the queen had Princess Entrapta install before her death, and it was henceforth used for every hosted ball since. It was both in honor and dignity towards the fallen princess.

The current song was one she could keep a beat to. She was at the point in the party where she just didn't care what people thought of her. She was sure to see a few confused looks from Mermista and a few other princesses she couldn't name off the top of her head, but it all flew her by.

Her ears rung suddenly when the music halted with a squeal, as if someone had dropped the microphone. She heard a quaint apology from whoever hit the stereo in the wring way, and it was a voice that brought her comfort. Not that familial comfort she got from her old squadron or new best friends, but something deeper and different.

Sure enough, looking up, she could see Catra, dressed in a festive suit and Santa-inspired hat, standing on the balcony overlooking the vast ballroom. She seemed troubled, her gaze swapping back and forth like she was looking for something.

Adora's heart skipped a beat, fluttering like a bird against the wind. Her body was hot—too hot in the midst of the crowd. Her mind was urging—no, pulling—her to move forward, to see Catra. She wasn't sure what it was about her old friend that came off as friendly and not-suspicious, but she was intrigued by it.

So, she ran: across the ballroom, up the stairs, down the hall, and onto the balcony. She searched and searched, but there was no one in sight. All she could see was the towering corridors and circular balcony of polished wood she was standing on. There was no one. Defeated, Adora let her shoulders sag and her back hunch over. Her feet dragged until those familiar fingers pulled her back.

"Catra!" she called, turning in the way the long nails were pulling her and enveloping the catgirl in a hug. "Oh my gosh, I've missed you!"

Catra chuckled, an unfamiliar sound to be heard from her. "Did you really miss me that much, Princess?"

"What I miss is your authentic tone," Adora deadpanned.

Catra punched the other's shoulder. "Shut up!"

"So," Adora said, "what are you doing here? You aren't here to make trouble, are you?"

"Pfft, of course not! I just. . ." Catra trailed off in her thoughts, a blush creeping on her freckled cheeks. ". . .wanted to see you. . . ."

Adora was blushing even more than Catra was, which was saying something—Catra was a tsundere, and tsunderes blushed all the time. Adora replied, "W-What? I t-thought you didn't w-want to see m-me."

"No! It's just. . ." she sighed. "Things at the Horde aren't going all that great, and, honestly, things are a bore without you. I thought I was doing the right thing by pushing you away, but I just feel so drained and insecure. I guess. . . ."

Adora giggled. "I've told you many times, Catra: things get bleak with the Horde and you change your mind, you come with me. Is that what you want?"

Catra shrugged. "I don't know what I want. J-Just. . . can I sleep here tonight? Just to, ya know, clear my head?"

A smile furrowed onto Adora's lips. "Of course! I mean, we'll have to hide from the queen and Glimmer, but. . . ."

"Adora?"

Catra's tone had grown from warm to fearful in mere seconds; to say Adora was frightened by it was an understatement. She followed the brunette's glare, craning her head upwards. Her bluish eyes met none other than a plant hanging from the ceiling. She recognized the plant by Bow's earlier explanation; it was a mistletoe.

Catra's tail was sticking straight up, twitching. Adora smiled, taking Catra's hands easily and squeezing them for comfort. "Catra, it's okay. It's just a mistletoe."

"A mistletoe?"

"Yes. My friend Bow told me about them. He said that if a person stands under it, then they have to kiss the person next to them."

Catra blushed again as the new information soaked in. "D-Do you, wanna d-do it?"

Adora nodded sheepishly, leaning into Catra's now puckered lips. Under the mistletoe of the Winter Solstice, the two lovers shared their blissful and much-needed first kiss.


	7. Nighttime Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fluff
> 
> AU where Catra is on Adora's side
> 
> Adora is plagued with another nightmare of Shadow Weaver. Catra takes notice and fluff ensues.

The blonde yelped, hot sweat trickling down her brow like raindrops on a window. She shot up into a sitting position in her bed, the heaps of covers she was under suddenly vacating her vicinity and leaving her at the cold's will. She shivered.

_Adora. . ._

Shadow Weaver's voice taunted her even in her own dreams—the only escape from the cold reality entrapping her. She thought she was through of all that pain when she escaped to the Whispering Woods to find her sword. She thought it was all over and done with when Catra was kicked out and later found by the rebellion.

But no. She still haunts her favorite pupil through fragile dreams. It hurt and gave her more than a few panic attacks over a week. Glimmer tried to help her once, but it was no use. Adora had decided sleep was only for the weak, and she was strong for evading her night terrors.

She had slept this night because she was far too tired to function the night before. She regretted listening to Bow this time. This dream was especially terrible—a dream about Shadow Weaver's punishments towards Catra. She had watched helplessly as Catra was dunked in her worst fear: water. The screams of agony and the later breathless perish was far too much for her handle.

She doubled over in the darkness of her room, her hands covering her teary eyes as her heart throbbed in hurt. She could remember all those painful moments she had from the Fright Zone that she would rather forget. Her thoughts swirled around her, pulling her deeper and deeper into sorrow like a black hole. On and on and on and on until all that was left was her— _knock_.

Adora shunned the door. She turned her back on it, afraid of who had heard her babish, pitiful cries, and wrapped herself in as many blankets as she thought possible. Whoever it was should just leave.

" _Coming in_ ," the person behind the door said. At least they were polite about it, Adora thought as she heard the automatic door swish open.

A bit of light from the hallway flowed into the pitch black room. The blonde felt herself shudder at how cold the room's aura suddenly was. It was dark, and she liked it that way when she was on the verge of brooding, but now it was lighter. Her eyes squinted, but she didn't dare turn to meet the person in the doorway—not that she needed to turn anyway; the person could be identified by her voice alone.

"Adora?" Catra asked, in a very hazy and groggy voice. She cleared her throat. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Adora could hear the brunette yawn, and she took that as good of a time as any to steal a glance behind her. Sure enough, Catra was standing at the foot of the bed, a blanket draped over her messy hair like a bridal veil. Bruise-like bags were formed under her eyes, showing just how sleepless she truly was. Her eyes were half-lidded, and she didn't seem fully aware of what she was really doing.

"Go away, Catra," Adora groaned. Of course, the feline-like girl was far too observant, even while drowsy. She blinked away the sleep from her eyes, noticing her friend's puffy, red-rimmed eyes.

In a moment of mindless brilliance, Catra said, "You look like a trash panda just bit your face."

Adora laughed out loud, sniffling and wiping any remaining tears from her eyelids. "Thanks."

Catra was abnormally soft at this time of night. She sat herself a few inches from Adora on the bed, her left hand rubbing Adora's shoulder. "Is something bothering you, Adora?"

Adora shook her head. "It's nothing."

Catra cursed. "Yeah, right! The Adora I know doesn't box all night and then cry." She noticed her tone had fallen too harsh by the blonde's flinch, so she tried to soften up again: "Whatever it is, you know you can tell me."

Adora sighed, pivoting her body to face the brunette. "I don't really want to talk about it, Catra. It'll just make you upset."

Catra scoffed. "Adora, a lot of things can make me upset, but I doubt what you're worried about is something worth worrying about. Besides, you just need to sleep on it."

"What if it's something that occurs while sleeping?" Adora fidgeted with the corner of her blanket.

"Like a nightmare?"

Adora nodded, receiving a hum from Catra.

"What was the nightmare about?" Catra inquired, tilting her head to the side. She looked like a tiny kitten in Adora's eyes.

Adora shrugged. "Just something that happened back at the Horde. It's really nothing."

"Ugh, quit talking like this isn't a big deal! You're someone I love a lot more than you think, and you think hiding your pain isn't going to hurt me? Do you not trust me anymore?"

"I do trust you!" Adora retorted, silencing the catgirl. "I just don't want you to have another panic attack because of what Shadow Weaver did to you!"

Catra's eyes widened. " _That_ was what you dreamed about. Seriously, Adora? I'm fine!"

Adora couldn't hold it in anymore. The dam was cracking, and all it needed to break was warmth. When her face fell into Catra's chest, she couldn't stifle her sobs any longer. "You're so reckless, Catra!" she cried. "E-Ever since you came to the rebellion, y-you've done t-terribly stupid things! You think I don't worry about you? Bullcrap! I love you, Catra!"

Catra blushed as she wrapped her arms around Adora's figure, her claws brushing through Adora's luscious blonde hair. "J-Just, do what I did. Forget about Shadow Weaver. She can't hurt us here."

Adora yawned. Emotions were tiring. She nodded, nuzzling Catra's breast. It was so warm and full of life, unlike Shadow Weaver's clammy grasp.

"I should probably leave you to sleep," Catra trailed off, her eyes looking up towards the ceiling to dodge Adora's gaze.

"No," Adora rasped, "stay."

Catra felt Adora's hug tighten around her body as the tears subsided. How could she leave such a broken beauty like this? She nodded, prodding Adora to lie on her side so they could cuddle in a rare show of affection.

The blanket was soon the shield between the pair and the menacing darkness. Their arms were wrapped around each other's torso, pulling each other toward the other like a magnet. They were glued together.

For once, Catra could sleep a full night's rest. She always slept with Adora when they were with the Horde, but, once Adora left, she was all alone. Even with the rebellion, she assessed that Adora preferred to be alone. So, she endured many sleepless nights at her insomnia's hand. It was only when she heard Adora's cries that she knew Adora needed her too.

Adora felt relieved. After her betrayal to the Horde, she was sure Catra would never forgive her. These past weeks after finding a delirious Catra banned from the Fright Zone just seemed to prove her hypothesis. Catra was distant, almost reluctant to even be on the princesses' side. However, she was listening. It warmed Adora's heart to know that even after all they have been through, they still cared for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this concludes our kickoff 2019 week. I hope you enjoyed, even if this didn't have as many kisses as you might have hoped. I plan on doing some more one-shots, or maybe even a Catradora story sometime in the future.
> 
> Have a great 2019!
> 
> \- ChibiEmme

**Author's Note:**

> Wow! That was a long ride. Most of the other one-shots are going to be shorter than this monstrosity in size, but I am glad I was able to write this in two days despite how busy I have been.
> 
> So, I plan on making a one-shot for each day of the week to kick off our first week of 2019. I hope you can stick around!
> 
> Happy reading~
> 
> \- ChibiEmme <3
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR EVE EVERYONE! SORRY THAT I'M AN HOUR LATE OF MY PROMISED UPDATE, BUT I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE ME. MAY 2019 BRING YOU LOTS OF FUN AND HAPPY THINGS.


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